Rotary snap-switch.



No. 893,688. BATENTEDJULY 21, 1908.

H. G. WILLIAMSON.

ROTARY SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1906.

INVENTOH Herbert G. v Williomjslcp.

from sheet metal rigid structure.

HERBERT C. WILLIAMSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY SNAP-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1908.

Application filed May 18, 1906. Serial No. 317,475.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, HERBERT 0. WILLIAM- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New,York and State of New York, (whose post-office address is 203 West Fifty-second street, New York city, New York,) have invented certain new and useful 1m rovements in Rotary Sna -Switches, of which the following is a full, 0 ear, and exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art may make and 'use the same.

-- The invention relates to snap-switches and more particularly to the type of device commonly known as rotary snap switches. The

arrangement is such that the contact making and breaking elements revolve to make or disrupt the circuit between .the fixed terminals ofthe circuit. 4

The object ofthe invention is to rovide a sim le, inexpensive and compact evice, all of t e several parts working with precision and under positive impulse. v

. A further object is to provide a device, the several elements of which may be formed pressed up to give a very A still further object is to provide adevice in which there will be a positive ratchet and pawl action for locking and releasing the rotary parts upon a positive tensioning of a quick acting make and break device. A still further object is to provide for positive though resilient control of the pawl with reference to the ratchet to assure proper in terlocking of the parts.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a lan view of the switch with the cap removed. ig. 2 is a cross-sectional view. Fig. 3 is a general view of the various parts unassembled and shown in perspective to better illustrate the several elements.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral a s indle 6 projects and is free to turn though he (1 against axial movement by. a pin 28 arrangement of which will be"dependent upon the type of switch made for any particular service. As shown herein, there are four ratchet openings. The periphery of the ratchet between each of the succeeding ratchet op'enings is cut back toward the center, thus roviding a high striking tooth 8, against w ich the pawl will impinge when released for. a forward movement. That is, with the pawl in any ratchet opening the wall of said opening in advance of the awl is of a considerable height while thewal at the rear face is comparatively'low. In fact, it is just suflicient to revent retrograde or backward movement of the pawl.

,Loosely mounted upon the s indle 6 is a contact actuating plate 9 whic may be of any appropriate 0 rm, and has secured to it the movable contact blade 10 which makes and breaks the electric circuit as it is assed into andout of contact with the stationary contacts of the base. The contact blade 10 while fixed to and moving with the contact actuating plate 9 is insulated therefrom andv fromthe spindle 6 by an insulating bushing 20 and washer 21, the several parts being suitably ressed or clamped together to form practical y an'integral structure.

Pivotally arranged in the plate 9, as at 11 is a pawl 11 and, as shown herein, the contact actuating plate 9 is formed of two pieces of sheet metal secured together with a space between them, while the pawl 11 is also formed of sheet metal and is pivoted between the plates ofthe contact plate 9 as at.

11*. .Of course, .it is understood that the contact bar 10 is thoroughly insulated from the various elements of the structure by the washers and bushings, heretofore indlcatedi A releasing cam or lug 12 is secured to the spindle and lies in position to be rotated against a projecting releasing lug 13 formed I by upsetting a portion of the pawl plate 11. It will be noted that the releasing cam or lug '12 is mounted upon the spindle while the pawl plate 11 is pivoted to the plate 9 and, therefore, "is pivoted eccentrically with reference to the spindle. It follows that a rotation of the cam 12 swings the pawl 11 upon its pivot 11 as the cam surface 12 presses against the lug 13 of the awl plate and as the end of the cam 12 a jacent to the lug 12 engages the lug 13, the tooth 14 of the pawl 11 is disengaged from the tooth of the ratchet 3. Thereupon the spring 16 forces the contact bar and contact actuating plate 9 forward until the pawl tooth 14 en- 1 gages the next succeeding ratchet opening of the ratchet 3. There is also anupturne lug 15 upon the pawl which forms an abutment againstgwhich one -end of a spring 16 rests. This spring 16 'is coiled -.about the *spindle 6, one end being "secured thereto,

while the other, end 16? ears against the upva double.

ling the position of the pawl, it serves as a tensioning spring for quickly moving the contactplate 9 with its attached contact 10, and I insures control-of the pawl 11 during the free flying movement of the various parts. f --It will be seen from the above described arrangement that a single spring intermedi ate the spindle and contact actuating-plate,

provides for controlling the pawl and ratchet in their engagin and disengaging move ments, and provl es the necessary power for :driving the switch-bar to secure a quick make ment and disengagement of t and break.

There can be no uncertain movement of the contact bar such as is often present in devices of this class. It must be moved in a predetermined manner "and to exact distances. Therefore, the proper making and breaking of the circuit throu h'the engagee contact bar- 10 and the stationary contacts, is assured.

This movement is dependent upon the arrangement of the pawl and the ratchet.

- To provide against backward movement of the cam plate 12 and consequently a backward movement of the switch spindle 6, a lug 26 is provided on the actuating contact plate 9. This lug 26 lies-at the rear of the cam 12' and acts as a stop for said late through the medium of the lug 12 whic bears against it. The spring 16 is normally under some tension when in engagement with the lug 15 of the pawl 11 and as the tooth 14 is thus forced into one of the ratchet openings and the lug v f 26 lies in the-rear of the lug -12 the cam plate 12 is positively looked a ainst retro-- grade movement. It will thus ie seen that the various parts are positively locked zigatillllstbackward or forward movement un- ,ese

pawl'tooth 14 from the engaged ratchet tooth. The pawl is always firmly held in the tooth recess of the ratchet until positively released by said cam 12. This cam, of course, forces the toothof the pawl from endegree to cause a quic forward flying move.

ment ot the contact bar 10 and appurtenant parts as soon asthe pawl 14 is moved out of engagement with one of the ratchet teeth.

I Qbviously, the various arts of the-mechanism might be varied in (ii ment to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit ,or intent of the invenused with provision for contact bars, giving a sing'fl-or double pole switch.

at I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

of insulating material, a ratchet secured in said base and providing a bearing for a spindle, said ratchet having peripheral openings, a spindle mounted in said ratchet and proing late loosely mounted on the spindle, a

: paw pivoted to said contact actuating plate' a to releasingcam secured to the spindle, a pawl formed from sheet metal and provided with a cam lug, a spring lug and a pawl tooth and a spring normally under'tension with one end secured to the spindle andthe opposite end ,in engagement with the spring ug' of the pawl. I

IIERBERT C. WILLIAMSON. Witnesses:

EDWIN S. MERRILL,

cam plate 12 is rotated to release the A. M. STAPLETON.

gaggment with the ratchet teeth, and im- With this sign and arrarig-jj tion, and various forms of ratchet might be 1.. In combination in a snap switch, a base vided'with a releasing cam, a contact actuat I upon the contact--' a snap switch, a base with a stop lug to engage a releasing earn, the 

